Complaints Procedure for Man With a Van Swiss Cottage

Man With a Van Swiss Cottage is committed to delivering a reliable, professional and courteous removals service. We recognise that, on occasion, things may not go as planned. When this happens, we encourage customers to tell us so we can put matters right, learn from the issue and continually improve our services.

Purpose of This Complaints Procedure

This complaints procedure explains how you can raise a concern about any aspect of our man and van or removals service, and how we will respond. It aims to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and within reasonable timescales.

What Counts as a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services, whether justified or not, where you are seeking a response or resolution. This may include, for example:

Concerns about punctuality, conduct or professionalism of our team during a move.

Issues with how your belongings have been handled or transported.

Disputes regarding charges, quotations or invoicing.

Concerns about communication before, during or after a booking.

Any other aspect of our removals or man and van service that has not met your expectations.

We differentiate between a complaint and a general enquiry or request. If you are unsure which applies, we will treat your contact as a complaint whenever you express dissatisfaction and request a response.

How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint to Man With a Van Swiss Cottage in writing or verbally. We encourage written complaints where possible, as this helps avoid misunderstandings and allows us to review the details carefully.

When making a complaint, please provide:

Your full name and the date of your move or booking.

A clear description of what happened and why you are dissatisfied.

Any relevant reference numbers, such as a booking reference or invoice number.

Details of any losses or damage you believe have occurred.

What outcome you are seeking, for example an explanation, apology or proposed remedy.

If you make a complaint verbally, we may ask you to confirm the details in writing so that we can ensure our understanding is accurate.

Timescales for Raising a Complaint

We ask that you raise any complaint as soon as reasonably possible after the issue occurs. Complaints about damage to goods or property should normally be made as soon as you notice the problem, ideally within a short period after completion of the move. This enables us to investigate effectively and, where necessary, inspect the items or areas involved.

How We Will Handle Your Complaint

Stage 1: Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge your complaint as soon as we reasonably can after receiving it. In our acknowledgement, we will confirm that we have received your complaint and outline the next steps in the process.

Stage 2: Investigation

Your complaint will be investigated by an appropriate member of our team who was not directly responsible for the issue wherever possible. The investigation may include reviewing booking and job notes, speaking to the staff involved, examining photographs or other evidence, and, if relevant, asking you for more information.

Stage 3: Response

Once we have completed our investigation, we will provide you with a written response setting out:

A summary of your complaint.

What we have done to investigate the matter.

Our findings and any conclusion reached.

Any offer of remedy or practical steps we propose to take.

We aim to provide a full response within a reasonable timeframe. If, for any reason, we need more time, we will let you know and explain why.

Possible Outcomes and Remedies

Where a complaint is upheld, possible outcomes may include one or more of the following, depending on the circumstances:

A clear explanation of what went wrong and why.

A sincere apology for any inconvenience or distress caused.

Practical steps to put things right where reasonably possible.

A goodwill gesture, where appropriate.

Review of our internal processes or staff training to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Any remedy offered will take into account the nature of the issue, any evidence available and the terms and conditions that applied to your booking.

Escalating Your Complaint

If you are not satisfied with the outcome at the initial stage, you may ask for your complaint to be reviewed. In doing so, please state clearly why you remain dissatisfied and what further resolution you are seeking.

On escalation, your complaint will be reviewed at a higher level within Man With a Van Swiss Cottage where possible. We will re-examine the details, any evidence and our previous decision, and provide you with a further written response.

Fairness and Respect

We are committed to treating all customers fairly and respectfully throughout the complaints process. In return, we ask that our staff are treated with courtesy. We may limit or redirect communication where behaviour becomes abusive, threatening or persistently unreasonable, but this will not prevent us from considering the substance of a genuine complaint.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

Any personal information you provide when making a complaint will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We will use your information only for the purposes of investigating and resolving your complaint, improving our services and meeting any legal or regulatory obligations. Your complaint will be discussed internally only with those who need to know in order to deal with it.

Continuous Improvement

We review complaints regularly to identify any recurring issues, trends or areas for improvement in our removals and man and van services. Lessons learned from complaints feed into staff training, service planning and quality control so that we can deliver a better experience for customers in the future.

By following this complaints procedure, we aim to handle any concerns promptly, fairly and professionally, and to maintain the confidence of customers who choose Man With a Van Swiss Cottage for their moving needs.